Batsman keen on first-team cricket

Worcestershire batsman Kadeer Ali is poised to move to Gloucestershire on a four-year contract to fulfil his desire for regular first-team cricket.

The Pears chief executive Mark Newton confirmed Gloucestershire had approached the county for permission to speak to Kadeer whose contract expires at the end of this month.Worcestershire have offered the former England Under-19 player a new two-year deal but are virtually resigned to the player seeking new pastures.

Kadeer, the cousin of Worcestershire paceman Kabir Ali, was lined up to replace Anurag Singh as opener for the 2004 season after Singh's departure to Nottinghamshire.

But he missed the beginning of the campaign with an elbow injury and his replacement Stephen Moore never looked back as he completed 1,000 first-class runs in his first full campaign.

"Kadeer's contract runs out on September 30 and Gloucestershire have been given formal permission to speak to the player, explained Newton.

"I have no doubt that a decision on his future will be made by Kadeer in the near future. We have ourselves made Kadeer the offer of a new two-year contract.

"But the stumbling block is first team opportunities. There was a slot there for Kadeer but he got injured and Stephen Moore stepped in and look what happened. That is what happens in sport."

Newton quashed speculation that other players such as Stephen Peters, Gareth Batty and Ben Smith, who quit as captain last month, wanted to leave New Road.

He said, "I've heard the rumours of Peters going back to Essex, Batty back to Surrey and Smith back to Leicestershire but there's no truth in any of them and they are all under contract and things are sorted."


From Cricket365.com

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